On Feb. 1 the young pilgrims started coming from all over the world. We were blessed to have some of them with us in our Retreat House for a couple of days before proceeding to Don Bosco for the 5-days gathering... One of the TAIZE brothers, Bro. Jean-Jacques Frere, was the one facilitating, orienting and leading the prayers in our house. Taize prayers are solemn and simple, penetrating the heart. Short scripture passages were read in different languages as well as intercessory prayers. Prayer and extraordinary Christ-like life - this we saw in the Taize brother who was with us...As we opened our hearts to the pilgrims, we were enriched by the experience of praying together, preparing for the event together. I cried when they chanted Taize song as part of their goodbye... I know I did not deserve their presence, their kindness, their simplicity and ascetical life, yet God gifted our community with their presence, something we are forever grateful to God, to the Taize brothers and to the pilgrims. 
For those 35 and above, we were able to attend the evening prayers in Don Bosco... The fresh breath of the Spirit filled our hearts as we chanted the hymns, listened to scripture passages and listened to the insights of Taize prior, Fr. Alois. The pilgrims and us, hungry for God, hungry for prayer, were drinking from the well, from the living water that Jesus offers... Yes! we will never be thirsty again.. As Fr. Alois said, the Holy Spirit is in us, filling our lives with hope, love and peace... even when at times, we do not feel God's presence, the Holy Spirit is there in us, with us...
Lord, I pray, that these beautiful experiences of prayer, of your loving presence, help me to grow, to change and to receive the conversion that I so desire...so that I too could give witness to your love, your kindness, your poor life.. Amen. Sis. Teresita Buen - Filipina
This was my first experience to joined the prayer of taize community. It was very nice and wonderful because many young people came from different parts of the world with the desire to pray together and to grow in love , faith and Hope in Christ.
At the same time we shared our experiences, our joys and our faith to one another. This experience of praying together help me to be more closer to God . Novice Lermin - Indonesian
I am grateful to God and to our sisters who had given me this opportunity to pray together with people from different parts of the world which helps me to strengthen my faith and the same time to trust God more .I was so inspired by the different songs that sung repeatedly. Postulant Roshani - SriLankan
Anticipating this prayer, I felt the love of God in me. I am very grateful to God for this opportunity that made me happy. I am happy because I encountered different young people like me with the same desire to seek God. At the same time it had also challenge my faith to be more close to Him and with other people and to be a witness to the WORD of GOD to others specially in simplicity. Veronica Barreto - East Timorese 
